Return of the Unrivaled Spear Knight

Side Story Chapter 259

It felt like the changes happening inside of Lucifer were never going to stop. In fact, they only became quicker and more intense over time.

“What in the world…?” Lucifer’s eyes turned bloodshot as he tried to fight off Greed’s insatiable consumption. “An Evil Sin stronger than the power of Gluttony…? What in the world are you…!”

It was only natural for Lucifer to be shocked. An Evil Sin was as strong as its owner’s desire was. As the owner of Wrath, Lucifer knew just how impactful that was. Among all of humans’ base instincts, physiological desires—such as eating and sleeping—were the most intense. However, Greed’s influence within him far exceeded any of those desires.

“This is ridiculous. There’s no way my fury is weaker than that boy’s desire!” Lucifer’s bloody red eyes shone brightly.

The Blood Tear fog chasing Kireua had vanished.

The power of Wrath was very straightforward, but it was just as strong as any of other the Seven Evil Sins. It embodied the expression, “simple is best”. Once someone lost themself to their anger, they couldn’t feel pain anymore and became two—or even ten—times stronger with Wrath, depending on how furious they were. Wrath not only enhanced physical abilities, it also enhanced everything else, like the quantity and quality of mana, yet the owner could still keep their rationality, as expected from the ability which got stronger as the owner made progress of their own.

The one problem was that Wrath exhausted its wielder’s stamina too quickly, but that wasn’t an issue for Lucifer because he was no longer a human with finite stamina.

“My Wrath is the best! Not even Joshua Sanders can defeat me right now!” Lucifer screamed. He stomped and vanished.

Kireua was ready and was already moving his sword into position to block Lucifer’s fist.

The collision had shocking results. Unable to withstand the impact, Kireua was catapulted dozens of meters away before he crashed into a tree and coughed up blood.

Lucifer wasn’t done. He created more of his bloody red fog around Kireua, surrounding him like a spider’s web. It looked like Kireua had nowhere to run.

“Blood Web,” Lucifer said with his right hand open and directed at Kireua. “I’m done playing with you.”

“…Fuck. This sure isn’t easy,” Kireua said, coughing over and over. One attack was all that it took to turn him into a mess. Judging from the pain, he had broken at least three to four ribs. He had to use his muscles to stop his broken bones from puncturing his lungs as he struggled to his feet. “I thought Greed or Pride were the best among the Seven Evil Sins, but I can see that the Wrath is also unbelievably powerful.”

“The demons call Wrath the power of Madness or ‘Berserker’. Even the famous fallen angel who used to have the power of Greed, had quite a bit of trouble with the one who possessed Wrath.”

Kireua clenched his fists. Although he knew that Lucifer was trying to break his fighting spirit, he was unbothered. His morale couldn’t be higher right now.

‘…So that’s what happened in the past.’

In truth, Lucifer’s desire was just as strong as Kireua’s. Lucifer had been an undead for decades just to get revenge. That resolve would have only grown over time, never weakening.

“...But my thirst for power is just as strong as your wish for revenge.” Kireua grinned.

“You’re awfully cocky.”

Lucifer clenched his hand, triggering the Blood Web around Kireua to rapidly contract.

‘Will I be able to cut through this?’ Kireua wondered in the short moment before the web had him bound. He hefted his invisible sword. Because of his experience with the Blood Tear barrier, he knew that the Blood Web was even stronger and sturdier than the barrier. Nevertheless, Kireua had to cut through it.

‘...Otherwise I’ll be shredded.’

A loud hum filled in the air as Kireua gathered his power in preparation to use a skill he had learned from the Flame Emperor, rather than one from the Magic Sword Art. That wasn’t for some idealistic reason like defeating his master’s mortal enemy with one of the techniques Ulabis had taught him. If Kireua were to use another aura strike, his instincts told him that he would not be long for this world; he knew that this was the right choice. The Blood Web was vulnerable to fire. Only with a hotter and more intense fire could he burn away this web of blood.

Kireua unleashed fire through his invisible sword and before long, the fire burned darker than darkness. He stabbed the sword into the ground.

‘The Flame Emperor’s Origin.’

The technique originated from the place where Ulbais had found Magma, the primordial stone. It would summon Vulpus, the hottest region in the continent, right where Kireua was standing right now!

When the Blood Web closed in on Kireua, the ground beneath his feet cracked as if an earthquake was taking place.

Geysers of magma—no, of ebon flame spewed from the cracks. The world was bathed in the unquenchable fires of hell

Lucifer, who had been leisurely watching Kireua with his arms crossed, frowned when he recognized the technique. It belonged to a person who was from the same generation as him.

“That’s…” Lucifer tilted his head for a moment. “…I see. He’s truly Ulabis’s only student.”

Lucifer was not perturbed. He had already defeated Kireua’s teacher, so Kireua was no match for him. However, it didn’t take long for Lucifer to lose his composure. Kireua was different from Ulabis. The biggest difference was that Kireua used the fire of Greed, not ordinary fire.

“…The fire is swallowing up my mana,” Lucifer mumbled in disbelief.

Greed, who continued to grow bigger, was eating away Wrath. Lucifer was forced to raise his arms to reinforce the Blood Web as much as possible.

Yet Kireua had long since burned his way through the encroaching Blood Web and disappeared.

“…He’s coming from above!” Lucifer's eyes widened as they found Kireua again.

Kireua was coming for Lucifer from the air like a lightning bolt.

“Idiot!” Lucifer smiled wickedly as he held up his arms. Taking to the air was a foolish decision! Even ignoring the fact that there was nowhere to stand and nowhere to run, Kireua wouldn’t be able to create an eruption of ebon flames.

Just when Lucifer was about to use the Blood Web to cut off Kireua’s limbs, Greed started acting up again.

-Wowsie! There’s a lot of food here! I’m going to eat it all!

“Y-You…!” Lucifer stammered, his bewilderment made obvious in the whites of his eyes.

The moment of hesitation spelled his end.

Kireua’s sword sheared through Lucifer’s neck, to the slack-jawed amazement of everyone watching. The decapitated head was engulfed in ebon flames.

However, Kireua wasn’t unscathed after doing such an incredible feat. He plummeted to the ground and tumbled lifelessly across the ground. The fall must have been very serious.

Lucifer’s head landed on the ground a moment later.

“Hi-His Highness!” Cain immediately shouted, pale-faced. “Protect His Highness!”

“Protect His Highness!”

The remaining three hundred knights of Avalon repeated the command and charged toward Kireua.

“Get the Second Prince of Avalon!” Swallow’s knights shrieked in response. “Kireua Sanders must be captured! If you have no other choice, kill him.”

They were at a clear advantage in terms of distance because any of Avalon’s forces who were closer had been killed by Lucifer.

Swallow’s knights simply walked over Lucifer’s corpse, on their way to Kireua, with their sabatons grinding it into the ground like so much refuse.

“W-Wait…”

“Wh-What in the world…?”

Avalon knights were utterly shocked by their flagrant disregard for Lucifer. Lucifer was Swallow’s Absolute and their Grand Duke. Now that he was dead, Swallow’s knights should have been thrown into chaos. The wise choice would have been to retreat like Hubalt had done. However, Swallow’s forces moved in an orderly manner as if they had been anticipating this moment. Avalon’s knights couldn’t help but feel perplexed as they ran toward Kireua.

“I repeat! Ignore the Grand Duke’s body! Prioritize securing Kireua Sanders!” one of Swallow’s senior knights shouted at the top of his lungs.

Despite his already bad condition, Cain’s face darkened even further. “It seems… a lot has changed in Swallow.”